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City Profile

Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia

Germany · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Compare Oberhausen Custom Comparison
71
Overall Score

Oberhausen is a historically significant city situated on the Emscher River in the heart of the Ruhr Area of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Known historically as the 'Cradle of the Ruhr Industry' due to its pioneering role in ironworks and coal mining, the city has undergone a massive structural transformation. Today, it combines its industrial heritage—symbolized by landmarks like the iconic Gasometer Oberhausen—with modern retail, leisure, and cultural attractions.

About North Rhine-Westphalia

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is Germany's most populous state, characterized by a diverse landscape encompassing the urbanized Rhine-Ruhr region and greener areas like the Teutoburg Forest. Its economy, the largest subnational economy in Germany, has historically been a powerhouse of mining and energy production, but has successfully transitioned into a high-tech center with strong service industries, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automotive production, and mechanical engineering. Living costs in NRW are generally less expensive than the German average, though major cities like Cologne and Düsseldorf can be pricier, and the climate is typically balanced, with warm summers and mild winters. The lifestyle offers a blend of vibrant urban culture, rich history, and access to nature, supported by an extensive transportation network.

213,178
Population
$4K
Avg Salary
61
Cost Index
71.4
Quality Score
How this 71/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 70 / 100 70.0 30% 21.0
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 61.0 92.5 25% 23.1
Economy & jobs Median household income: $45,000 Income needed to live here: $2,400 Unemployment rate: 6% 75.0 20% 15.0
Growth Population growth rate: 0.14% Job growth rate: 1.2% 36.3 15% 5.4
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 68 / 100 68.0 10% 6.8
Overall score 71.4

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (ungrounded) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business
68
Livability
74
Affordability
75
Growth
70

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Oberhausen remains notably reasonable compared to major German hubs like Munich, Frankfurt, or Düsseldorf. Everyday expenses such as dining out, groceries, and local services align closely with regional averages for the North Rhine-Westphalia industrial belt, making it an economically accessible location for residents. Housing and rental costs are particularly favorable, offering high purchasing power relative to the average local net income.

Average Rent
$650/mo
Groceries
$400/mo
Transport
$90/mo
Utilities
$180/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$50.00
Cinema ticket
$13.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$20.00
Monthly groceries
$350.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$120.00

Income

Salary Insights

Historically anchored in heavy industry, Oberhausen's contemporary economy has successfully diversified into logistics, retail, healthcare, digital communications, and environmental technology. Major regional employment drivers include the service sector, large-scale commercial retail anchored by massive leisure developments, and specialized manufacturing. While remote work infrastructure and hybrid models have grown steadily following regional digitalization initiatives, the local job market still relies heavily on its robust network of small-to-medium enterprises.

The average salary in Oberhausen is $3,500 per year. You would need approximately $2,400 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Healthcare +2.40% Logistics and Transportation +2.00% Retail and Commerce +1.50% Manufacturing and Engineering +0.80% Digital Communication and IT +3.10%

Weather

Climate

🌡️
12°C
Avg Temp
☀️
24°C
Summer High
❄️
2°C
Winter Low
🌧️
30.70"
Annual Rain
💧
72.00%
Humidity
🌤️
235
Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

27 min
Avg Commute
65.00/10
Transit Score
60.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency
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At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Rental prices are significantly lower than major German cities like Munich or Frankfurt, averaging around $620 for a 1-bedroom central apartment per Rewire Abroad 2026 data.
The city features extensive green spaces and recreational landmarks, including the famous Gasometer Oberhausen and the Centr.O leisure complex.
Strategic location within the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region provides exceptional rail and autobahn connectivity to neighboring economic hubs like Düsseldorf and Essen.
Comprehensive public healthcare infrastructure is accessible through well-equipped local clinics and a dense network of medical professionals.
Low overall crime index and high community safety standards make it a secure environment for families and retirees.
Drawbacks
The local labor market continues to navigate post-industrial economic restructuring challenges, resulting in unemployment rates higher than the national German average per Destatis 2024-2025 reports.
Heavy reliance on regional manufacturing and retail means economic growth can be vulnerable to broader macroeconomic downturns in Europe.
Certain quarters experience urban renewal pressures and require ongoing municipal investments to combat localized structural deprivation.
Atmospheric and industrial heritage legacies require continuous environmental monitoring, though air quality has improved significantly.
Limited presence of high-tech venture capital startups compared to dedicated German tech capitals like Berlin or Munich.

Head to Head

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Nearby Cities

Mülheim an der Ruhr
62
Essen
55
Gelsenkirchen
47
Düsseldorf
62

Community Q&A

Questions about Oberhausen

What people ask about living in and moving to Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia.

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Gathering the most common questions about Oberhausen…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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